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Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Word Art Wednesday: Real Freedom


Welcome to Word Art Wednesday.  We hope you'll join our challenge this week and link your encouraging creation to our challenge blog.  Our scripture for the week, beautifully crafted into this wordart design by Karen Murray, paints a succinct picture of the Christian life.  I was honored this week to be able to write the devotion at Word Art Wednesday.  Karen Letchworth, our challenge blog administrator, is with family as they celebrate the life of her father who died this past week.  So we also hope you will join us in praying for her and her family. 

For my card sample, I recolored the wordart.  I've included that here for you to use. 
 
Since my devotion for the week is on our challenge blog, I won't repeat it here.  I invite you to visit Word Art Wednesday, read it there, see the other design team member's inspirations and take a look at the prizes offered by our fabulous sponsors.


There are number of advantages to digi stamps, though I still love all my rubber and clear polymer stamps.  The way digis can be manipulated is what I like the best.  You can recolor, resize, rotate, flip and layer to personalize the image. 


For this card, I layered the star/banner image directly onto one of my digi papers.  It a fast and easy way to combine images.  I thought about cutting out an additional star/banner image and layering over the original to create some dimension, but then I decided to pop up a glitter star instead. 


I love the flexibility of recoloring sentiments too.  You can recolor black sentiments in almost any photo editing program.  I use Adobe Photoshop Elements 10. 

Sets Used:

12 sheets / 12 x 12 / 300 ppi / resizable
$3.00

13 color images / JPEG and PNG / 300 ppi / resizable
$4.00

Here are two FREE Digis, compliments of Daydream Designs, for you.  May your 4th of July sparkle with fun.   Available for a limited time. 




Also Available:

10 outline images / JPEG and PNG / 300 ppi / resizable
$3.00

7 color and 7 black and white sentiments / JPEG and PNG / 300 ppi / resizable
$3.00

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Word Art Wednesday: Truth is Freedom


Welcome to another Word Art Wednesday challenge.  We hope you will visit our challenge blog and be inspired by the samples from our design team and participate by linking your own inspiring artwork to our blog.

Winston Churchill is credited with saying, "Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."  When aligned with our scripture wordart for this week, we see an interesting paradox.  God's Word says the truth will set us free.  Yet human experience shows that mankind often avoids the truth...in fact it is a stumbling block for many.  In 1 Corinthians 1:18, 23 Paul says, For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God...but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.


The Gospel of Jesus presents every human with a choice. We can choose to be freed by God's message of hope and salvation, or we can stumble over that truth, dust ourselves off, and proceed down the road that leads to our destruction.  Those of us who believe cannot fathom the choice the latter group makes.  It is incomprehensible to us that all men would not embrace God's truth and the path to light, life and freedom. 


Freedom.  Men die for freedom's sake; we send thousands of young men in harm's way to fight for freedom across the globe.  Civilians in oppressive regions of the world risk their lives in the pursuit of political or religious freedom.  Yet right here, in our own country, that which would bring the greatest freedom we can experience, is a stumbling block.  I believe our country is in crisis and more than any place on earth we are in a truth war.  Once called a Christian nation, even our president claims we no longer recognize that distinction.  Vast numbers of our countrymen kick against the goads of Christianity, stumbling over the message of the cross.  They are becoming more and more angry that the Christian message confronts them.  So to avoid it, we are labeled as radical, as terrorists, as a segment in our society that is not to be tolerated.  And it will get worse.


Yet ours is an amazing freedom, one that can never be taken from us.  No chains can shackle the truth of the Gospel, no prison can contain it.  Everywhere there is persecution and intolerance against believers, the Gospel flourishes.  When we cling to the Gospel, we will experience that same freedom.   So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8:36)  In Christ we are free.  We have been loosed from the bondage of sin.  We have been set free to enjoy abundant life, even when others kill the flesh.  No one can take what we possess.  They make take our homes, separate families, imprison us and kill us, but we are free.  No one can take our inheritance from us, no one can steal what is ours or kill what will live forever.  Freedom.  Ours forever. 


My card sample showcases the journal mat from Helen Phelps composite set, Cherry Tea Card and Scrapbook Kit, available at Daydream Designs. I simply copied/pasted one of the designs three times to be able to layer portions of the image for dimension.  The scripture is just copied and pasted on top of the final layer of the main image. 



We do hope you will join us for this week's challenge at Word Art Wednesday.  We'd love to see your inspirational artwork. 

Set Used / Coordinating Sets from Daydream Designs:

8 journal or photo mats / JPEG and PNG / resizable
$2.50

3 sheets / JPEG only / 12 x 12 / resizable
$1.50
  
5 color images / JPEG and PNG / resizable
$4.00

11 images /JPEG and PNG/resizable
$3.00

See more Tea Time Sets (outline and more color sets) HERE.

A freebie from Daydream Designs (available for a limited time).


Monday, June 16, 2014

Helping you Navigate

I'm just checking in to update you and help you navigate to all my activity sites so everything doesn't get in a jumbled mess here.

This blog is my personal blog where I also showcase my cards and papercrafts.  I feature all my Daydream Designs sets here.  This was the birthplace of Daydream Designs so that business feels at home here.

Last week I launched a new business venture, Diane in Jammies, as an independent consultant for Jamberry nails.  Not all my followers will be interested in both, so I've created a separate blog for my Jamberry business.  Soon, I'll shift all my Jamberry posts to that blog, Diane in Jammies, and hope all my nail enthusiasts followers will join me HERE.

http://dianeinjammies.blogspot.com/

I'm getting crazy in love with these nail wraps, and between playing with them, and trying to organize my business my brain is doing a happy, but rather frenzied mental dance! 

I wanted to direct you to my new blog, (see the tab too), but I also wanted to invite you to my FB Launch party, happening now.  Everyone is invited.  Just go HERE to join the party.  The party will close this Wednesday, but I'm hoping you will also LIKE my Diane in Jammies Facebook page.  I'll maintain a presence there.


Here's what I'm wearing today!

my first try ever!


This pic actually demonstrates the main reason I love my Jammies.  Both of my big toes are gone (forever, surgically removed, and not very pretty in their naked state).  Jamberry nail wraps are only safe and pretty solution for covering up my no-toenail mess, and wearing open-toe shoes again.  So Jamberry had me at SAFE!

Hope you will peek in on all my Jamberry sites and say hello. 

Friday, June 13, 2014

I'm So Excited!

....and I just can't hide it!

                            I took the plunge!


I'm a brand new independent consultant for jamberry nails, and I simply couldn't be more excited! These gorgeous nail wraps are amazing!  I'll be posting several times this weekend sharing some really exciting news...and inviting you to my BIG LAUNCH PARTY!   

Showcasing Icy Rose Polka
(note how shiny they are!!!)

Here are just a few fun facts about


Isn't that incredible?! The last time I had a gel nail manicure at a salon, my nails were almost ruined.  So I determined I would just do regular polish.  Day 2, most nails were chipped.  I'd seen flashes of Jamberry Nails online, but never investigated what they were.

This is a nail revolution, girlfriends!

I'll be sharing some really fun things this weekend, sending you an invitation to join my launch party
(PRIZES)
 and showcasing more samples so you get to know and love Jamberry Nails.  But I know what you really want to see right now....


http://dianenoble.jamberrynails.net/
Click on the Picture to see it all for yourself!

I simply cannot wait to share more with you about these fabulous nail wraps.
Tell me what you'd most like to know in the comments
or email me with your questions.

Soon I'll be opening my new blog just to rave about Jamberry Nails,
but for now, this is the place to see how much fun I'm having!

Thanks for stopping to listen to me squeal with delight!
Diane

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Word Art Wednesday: Desiring God


You've probably heard the quote: "When you find you have nothing but God, you discover He is all you need."  Each one of us has come to points in our life when we reach the end of our resources.  We are financially stretched to the max, emotionally taxed beyond our ability to cope, and physically worn out.  We don't have anymore, we can't give anymore and we can't go anymore.  Have you been there?
  

Most of our discouragements in life come because we expect too much or desire things that are not healthy for us.  We expect a trouble-free or at least a "trouble-freer" life and we want what we want when and how we want it....if we are honest, right?  Maybe this occurs to varying degrees and doesn't describe us most of the time, but each of us at some time has run after that which cannot satisfy and cannot fix what is broken.


Just imagine the pain and frustration we could alleviate if we would but turn to God and desire nothing but His grace over our lives, His power in all circumstances and His help in times of trouble. If we could only realize that all else but Him is flawed and finite.  If we want the resources of heaven to be showered upon us (and I'm not speaking about a prosperity gospel here), we would do well to fix our deepest desires upon the God of the universe.


I'm learning to love those faith-stretching times when I know that only God can redeem the circumstances in which I find myself.  I know there is no other place to turn and I've become faithful enough to really believe God will meet me at my point of need.  I truly believe when I need a miracle, He is ready to shower me with them; when I need refreshing, He has living water to splash over my spirit.  God is all I need...I am a work in progress for Him to be all that I desire.  I'm getting closer, and He is leading me to that point.


I hope you won't think I'm bragging, but I really do love the look of my Country Morning paper pack. First, I love the colors. As I was designing, the color scheme just emerged.  I didn't have a real plan.  But I happened upon this delicious aqua and thought black would contrast to it so nicely.  I also love the way my gingham turned out.


If you look closely at the gingham you will see specks and undertones of black.  At first, I was skeptical about mixing in black with such a light, bright color, but really the effect is quite yummy!  I love the gingham with the print too, and the boldness of black gives it a slight French Provential  look.   I was happy with the black and white flowers I added as accents.  I had some green leaf stick pins in my stash and I just used a black permanent sharpie to color it black, to echo the black leaves of the floral print. I stuck the pin just behind and above the black rose.


Here's my simple little project for our challenge.  And the verse presents a simple truth: There is nothing we should desire more that God. 

Daydream Designs Set(s) Used:

12 sheets / 12 x 12 / 300 ppi / resizable
$3.00

I do hope you will join us at the Word Art Wednesday blog for this week's link-up challenge.  We LOVE having your designs there and always look forward to what you will create.  Our sponsors are always amazing and there are always very excited winners.  It could be YOU! 

Thank you for blessing my day!
Diane

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Word Art Wednesday: Children Are a Crown (FREE DIGI STAMPS)


Welcome to Word Art Wednesday and our fun challenge this week.  I really hope you'll hop over to our blog and join us by linking up your creation.  Our lovely scripture verse is perfect as Father's Day approaches too.


For my sample I chose to showcase the Daydream Designs Bitty Baby Boy sets.


Everything you see on this card is from Daydream Designs, with the exception of the solid cardstocks (in SU So Saffron and Gumball Green).  I love the freedom and versatility of digi stamps for projects like this.  The original color bingo set for the Baby card comes in Pink and Blue with one in basic black.  I used the Basic black version and recolored it in Publisher.  Images like the Bingo cards and all our digi sentiments can be recolored in most photo editing programs.


I used the Bitty Baby Boy digi paper set (green polka dot) and the Bitty Baby Boy Designer Papers (duck print) as backgrounds.  One of the nice features of so many Daydream Designs sets is that they coordinate with other sets including papers, embellishments and sentiments.

I chose to put the WAW scripture on the inside of the card and created a space for a handwritten note.


Each time I create a baby-themed card I pray for our nation and the ever-growing belief that babies are expendable.  I am so saddened by abortion and all its ramifications for the child that will never be and the mother that will live with the consequences of that choice.  So I pray for all that is lost, all that will never be, and pray that the parents for whom I'm designing the card will be doubly blessed for protecting life.

Here are the Daydream Designs sets used.


Please enjoy this free digi from the set for a limited time!






Thank you so much for stopping by.  
I do hope to see you this week at Word Art Wednesday!
Diane